European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 19, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 the stars and stripes tuesday january 19,1988 skins Broncos prepare for Consolation bowl by Dave Goldberg Washington a if at firs you Don l succeed. A  ago the Washington redskins dominated just about everyone except the new York giants who heat them three limes including 17-0 in inc pfc title game. A year ago. He Denver Broncos won the acc title with the kind of drive that fell Short for the Cleveland Browns sunday then got steamroll ered by the giants 39-20 in the super bowl. Will lie giants having been done in by injuries the strike and the Standard Post super bowl blah super bowl xxii in san Diego in two weeks might also be called inc Consolation howl an Opportunity to make up for past failures. Conditions had to be just right and they were. For one thing there was no hot team this season tile Ilie giants and bears the past two years Minnesota which lost to inc redskins 17-10 in the pfc title game sunday look care of thai. They dispatched san Francisco a week ago after the 49crs had become everyone s favorite by finishing 13-2 and winning their last three regular season games by a combined score of 12-1-7. The Hronas who joined the 1932-33 Redskin As the Only Cani in this decade to make it to two straight nil championships were immediately installed As 3 Poi no favourites after their 38-33 win Over Cleveland. This is inc first time in at least five years that the acc team was the opening line favorite the last two years they were double digit undo drop. Moreover the pfc learn romped the last three times by 22, 36 and 19 Points. In this Case inc Garni involves two teams who in a win interrupted by the 24-Day strike May not be As Good As hey were a year ago when they could not get by the . We be been very Polly the redskins Charles Mann said before the Victory Over Minnesota thai sent Washington to san Diego for its third super bowl appearance in Sis years. Sometimes we be played Well but we seem play in half rather than in full  Mann played Well emerging from Dexter Manley s Shadow to have his Best season. It s seemed Tike we re always in a Hole that we have to climb out of said Joe Gibbs whose 1986 team was 14-s Overall with three of the losses to the giants. This year s learn is now 13-4, but three of those victories Wen by the replacement redskins and four others required ale comebacks moreover Jay Schmo Cdr whose 4,109 Yards a year ago were the 10th most in history completed just 48 percent of his passes his season. He has been replaced by Doug Williams who has been inconsistent  was just 9 of 26 for 119 Yards against Minnesota although two of the nine completions were Tor touch Downs. Denver 13-5 before its super bowl loss a year ago is a largely different team with one common thread John Elway a one Man team in at least half the Bron cos 12 victories. The Broncos Are 12-4-1 going into i Hesper bowl the retirements of defensive backs Louis Wright and Steve Foley and linebacker Tom Jackson stripped the learn of experience and depth. Moreover injuries to players like running backs Steve Scwll and Gerald Willhile Center Bill Bryan and safeties Mike Harden and Dennis Smith and most recently wide receiver Vance Johnson forced the Bron cos to improvise each week with makeshift lineups. At times Elway had to match opponents score for score As he did sunday when Bertric Kosar might have done for Cleveland what Jetway did in the acc title game last season had Earnest byner not been stripped of the Hall Al the two in the final minute. Elway and his receivers Mark Jackson Ricky Nallick. Scwell Light ends Orson Mobley and Clarence Kay and Johnson if he s ready Are the main reason the Broncos Are favored. The redskins Don l come close at quarterback with Williams who would be the Llesi Block quarterback to Start a super bowl. Super bowl experience is unlikely to be a Factor because both learns have been there nor docs either Clay Matthews pulls Dawn John Etny on sunday. Team have a teaching Edge. Several Vikings said hey were not ready for the Washington defences sunday but Denver coach Dan Reeves and defensive coordinator Joe Collier match up with Gibbs better than Jerry bums and his Minnesota staff i just Hope we play belter in the super Bow than we did last year Reeves Laid. They probably will. For the same reason hey stayed with the giants for 4 half last year and the same reason they Are an Early favorite. Spell it with five letters Al a a a. Dent or defenders relieve Browns a Tui Mck m of the tall on  Erry broncs from Page 21 played an excellent game. Some of the Guys came up to me and said we love you. You played your Tail off out there " but it was t enough for the second successive year. I really believed we were going to Stop them,1 Broncos defensive end Rulon Jones said. We knew we had to make a Piny in was a do or die situation Dennis Smith added. We be been known to make big plays and we did it again the Broncos made All the big plays in the first half building a 21-3 Lead. They turned a diving interception by Freddie Gilbert and a Fumble recovery by Steve Wilson tin Cleveland s first two series into 14 Points everything was right in the Fml half pro bowl guard Keith Bishop said. John Elway found Rookie Ricky Nal lick for the first of his three touchdown passes an a yarder after Gilbert s pick off. Sieve Scwll scored on a i Yard re verse to make in 14-0 after Cleveland s Frank Minnifield was caught holding in the end zone on a third Down in comply lion. Mall Bahr kick cd. We be been known to make big plays and we did in  the Broncos made All the big plays in the first half building a 21-3 Lead the turned a diving interception by Freddie Gilbert and a Fumble recovery by Steve Wilson on Cleveland s first two strict into 14 Points. Everything was right in the first half pro bowl guard Keith Bishop said. John Elway found Rookie Ricky Nal till for the first of his three touchdown passes an 8-yarder, after Gilbert s pick off. Steve Scwll scored on a 1-Yard re verse to make in 144 after Cleveland Frank Minnifield was caught holding in the end zone on a third Down i comple  Bahr kicked a 24-Yard Field goal for the Browns but t4-and 21-Yardpasses to Nallick keyed an 80-Yard drive id Gene Lang s 1-Yard touchdown run and a 21-3 Han inc cad. The biggest thing we said at half time was that 21 Points won t beat the Cleve land Browns Ozzie Newsome said. They gel a Tot of credit for the Way they fought Back in inc second half Winder said. There was never a Point in the game where they gave up and they came Back so Strong which is something other teams May not have been Able  Felix Wright s interception on the first series of the second half set up the Browns at the Denver 35 Kotar wit Jones right in his face Lof cd a pass into the end Lone to Reggie Lang Home in front of Smith for Cleveland s first touchdown. But Denver with the arcs lop ranked offence again victimized the con Ference s no. 1 defense with a big  scrambled out of trouble and sent a 5-Yard pass to Mark Jackson. Fro there Jackson avoided two tacklers and sped Down the right sideline for an 30 Yard score the longest in Denver playoff history."1 was thinking first Down first Down " Jackson said. I came Back to the Ball and thought i m Here i be Gotto shake somebody " he Shook Wright and Mark Harper. It s a tackle 1 should have made Harper said. I had him